Australia Cricket

Australia put in another solid performance with the bat on the first day of their tour match against Derbyshire.

Openers Shaun Marsh and David Warner both made centuries before retiring, and Shane Watson delivered a spectacular cameo as the visitors closed on 413 for nine.

The Aussies didn't have it all their own way, though, thanks largely to an impressive debut from 19-year-old Derbyshire seamer Will Davis.

Michael Clarke's scratchy form continued, and Adam Voges and Peter Nevill were both dismissed cheaply.

Read on for the main takeaways from Day 1 in Derby.

Shaun Marsh Stakes Test Claim

With Chris Rogers potentially a doubt for next week's third Test, reserve opener Shaun Marsh showed that he's in fine touch if called upon.

After scoring 114 in the tourists' opening match against Kent, Marsh added another century against Derbyshire.

The 32-year-old was largely untroubled against the inexperienced county attack, eventually retiring with 101 runs to his name from 177 balls.

Younger brother Mitchell fully justified his call-up at Lord's. If Rogers doesn't recover from his dizzy spells, Marsh senior looks like a more-than-capable replacement.

Michael Clarke's Problems Continue

One of the few disappointments for the Australians at Lord's was the form of Michael Clarke. The captain scratched around for seven from 32 balls in the first innings but gave hints of a return to form with a nice second-innings cameo.

Clarke needed some time in the middle in Derby, but his stay was frustratingly brief. The skipper made a stodgy 16 from 37 deliveries before nicking off to debutant Will Davis.

There were few positives for England following the second Test. Clarke's lack of form is one of them. Many more failures and expect the calls for Steve Smith to take over the captaincy to get a little louder.

Remember the Name Will Davis

Resting senior bowlers when the tourists are in town is disappointing for spectators (what, no Mark Footitt?). Leaving out the old sweats gives youngsters an opportunity, though, and Will Davis grabbed his chance with both hands.

Bowling at a decent pace, the 19-year-old picked up the wickets of Michael Clarke and Adam Voges in the afternoon session, then returned after tea to nab Nevill. He finished the day with figures of three for 63 from his 15 overs.

Having the Australian skipper as your maiden first-class wicket is a fine way to mark your debut. 

#MatchAction: Will Davis celebrates his maiden first-class wicket of some guy called Michael Clarke #DERvAUS #P2bD pic.twitter.com/kFzhQTDdnD

— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 23, 2015

David Warner Carries on Where He Left Off at Lord's

It didn't have any impact on the result at Lord's, but how costly could Adam Lyth's drop of David Warner be for the rest of the series?

After being given a life on nought, Warner smashed a rapid-fire 83 against England in the second innings.

The Aussie opener looked in imperious touch in Derby, smashing 101 from just 108 balls.

Rumours of Warner's frailty against the moving ball in English conditions appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

CENTURY! An entertaining 100 to David Warner. Highlights of his first 87 runs HERE: http://t.co/iMeGs35GpS #DERvAUS pic.twitter.com/ninq9WJfbj

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 23, 2015 

Australia levelled The Ashes as England were destroyed by 405 runs in the second Test at Lord’s.

The hosts were skittled out for 103 in just 37 overs on Day 4 after being set a mammoth 509 to win.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s
Lyth	c Nevill	b Starc	7	19	16	1
Cook	c Nevill	b Johnson	11	39	31	2
Ballance	c Nevill	b M Marsh	14	56	33	2
Bell	c Sub	b Lyon	11	78	50	2
Root		b Hazlewood	17	83	44	2
Stokes	run out (Johnson)		0	4	3	0
Buttler	c Nevill	b Johnson	11	5	9	2
Moeen	c Sub	b Johnson	0	3	4	0
Broad	c Voges	b Lyon	25	20	17	4
Wood	not out		2	11	10	0
Anderson		b Hazlewood	0	8	5	0
Extras		0nb 0w 4b 1lb	5
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Starc			7	3	16	1
Hazlewood			8	2	20	2
Johnson			10	3	27	3
M Marsh			3	2	8	1
Lyon			9	3	27	2

In reality, defending 155 overs was the real task, but Alastair Cook’s side failed to even take the game into a final day with Mitchell Johnson taking 3-27.

Australia's win by 405 runs is the ninth largest in terms of runs in Test cricket history and the 4th largest in #Ashes history! #Ashes2015

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 19, 2015

The tourists added 146 in 23 overs in the morning session before declaring on 254-2 to let Michael Clarke unleash his bowlers.

A couple of sixes from Marsh and Australia have declared on 254-2. More here: http://t.co/J0Hkjc7fYe #MyAshesSummer pic.twitter.com/HNH4C7mmyT

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 19, 2015

Moeen Ali with both wickets this morning with signs of turn at Lord's: http://t.co/J0Hkjc7fYe #MyAshesSummer pic.twitter.com/g3CM64GIAB

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 19, 2015

England negotiated three overs before lunch but capitulated to 64-5 at tea in the face of some hostile and accurate bowling.

Adam Lyth’s poor run continued as he edged Mitchell Starc behind to debutant keeper Peter Nevill after making nine.

WATCH: Adam Lyth is dismissed by Mitchell Starc as his tough run continues #MyAshesSummer http://t.co/7vtf21Zwdq pic.twitter.com/tUZoUMOOB6

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 19, 2015

While Lyth’s judgement on what to leave outside his off-stump has been poor, the same cannot be said of Alastair Cook (11), but the skipper was lured into chasing a Johnson delivery, and Nevill took another catch.

Gary Ballance and Ian Bell faced a torrid time but saw England through to drinks before the former perished to Mitchell Marsh’s first delivery after the break.

Extra bounce took the edge and Nevil grabbed another as Ballance went for 14 with England’s top order issues showing no signs of abating.

A big innings coming up for England. Can they bat for five sessions? http://t.co/J0Hkjc7fYe #MyAshesSummer pic.twitter.com/cHYwwomBw3

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 19, 2015

The seamers had accounted for the first three wickets but Ian Bell (11) was undone by spin with a bat-pad snaffled at short leg off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.

Ben Stokes then was involved in a calamitous run out as he failed to run his bat in as Johnson’s direct hit crashed into the stumps and he walked back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

Didn't anyone teach Ben Stokes to always slide his bat? #Ashes https://t.co/1obSwQa3yi

— William Hill Aus (@WillHillAus) July 19, 2015

The procession continued after tea with Johnson striking twice in the opening over after the adjournment.

Jos Buttler (11) edged the first ball of the session behind to Nevill and Moeen Ali fended a rising delivery to short leg to depart for a duck.

Meanwhile... #Ashes pic.twitter.com/LaYjuYAryx

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 19, 2015

Stuart Broad (25) had a few lusty blows before cutting Lyon to cover point and the resilience of Joe Root (17) was broken when a Josh Hazlewood delivery kept a little low and pegged back off-stump.

Jubilant @CricketAus fans in the Upper Edrich the moment they wrapped-up their emphatic victory over @englandcricket pic.twitter.com/cSznHMibvR

— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) July 19, 2015

The huge victory was completed when Hazlewood bowled Jimmy Anderson and England must now take stock ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston on June 29 after their victory in the Cardiff opener was cancelled out.

Australia bounced back from their defeat in the opening Ashes Test in impressive fashion, piling on the runs on the opening day of the second match of the series.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first at Lord's, the tourists finished Thursday's play on 337 for one.

Chris Rogers made 158 not out and Steve Smith reached stumps unbeaten on 129, with the pair putting on an unbroken second-wicket stand worth 259.

England battled bravely with the ball but were brought back down to earth with a bump after their victory in Cardiff.

Here are some takeaways from the action.

Rogers right at home

Rogers was the one Australia batsman in the top order who applied himself in the opening Test, making 95 in his team's first innings.

Although he missed out on a hundred there, he never looked like making the same mistake at Lord’s, a venue he knows well having played as the overseas recruit for Middlesex in the past. His performance led to some notable milestones:

Chris Rogers and Don Bradman are the only two Australian batsman to have scored 1000+ Ashes runs after the age of 35

— Bishen Jeswant (@bishen_jeswant) July 16, 2015

Chris Rogers (37y 319d) is the oldest Australian Ashes centurion at @HomeOfCricket since Lindsay Hassett in 1953.

— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) July 16, 2015

And yet things could have been different had an edge in the very first over gone to hand.

The experienced opener took a chance trying to drive a full ball from James Anderson, but the nick flew over the heads of second and third slip and away for four.

Just like England’s Joe Root—who was dropped second ball by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in Cardiff before going on to make 134—Rogers cashed in on the early reprieve.

He recorded his first three-figure score in Test cricket since making 107 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in February 2014. 

However, the left-hander has hardly been in bad touch recently. Here are his last nine scores in Test action: 55, 25, 57, 69, 95, 56, 95, 158 not out. That is not a bad run of form for a man who is retiring at the end of the series.

It's never too late to change your mind, Chris.

 

On top of the world

Smith had started the series rated as the top batsman in the world, according to the ICC rankings.

He made 33 in both knocks in the first Test, scores that were not enough to keep him at the summit. AB de Villiers instead took over, though it might not be for too long.

Smith showed his class with a century at Lord's, despite England’s best efforts to keep him under wraps. He did have a life on 50, Ian Bell putting down a low chance at second slip off the bowling of Ben Stokes.

The home side’s seamers stuck rigidly to a channel well outside off stump, a policy that paid off in Cardiff when Smith was caught at second slip in Australia’s disappointing second innings.

This time, though, he won the game of patience.

The last time Australia played a Test at Lord’s two years ago, Smith was batting down at six. He made just three runs—he had a better game with the ball, picking up four wickets with his leggies. 

Move forward to the summer of 2015 and Smith’s career trajectory has been phenomenal, as Alt Cricket pointed out on Twitter:

STATBYTE: Steve Smith in 1st innings of a Test match: 9 centuries, 3 fifties, average 96. pic.twitter.com/QBuynt42Hl

— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) July 16, 2015

England expects

England’s victory in Cardiff was an outstanding team performance.

They played nigh-on the perfect game in Wales, putting runs on the board in both innings before taking 20 wickets with a day to spare, a real feat on a pitch that offered little assistance to any of the bowlers.

The surface at Lord’s has played in a very similar manner—the major difference for England is they have found Australia a much tougher nut to crack.

Rogers and Smith put the pitch into perspective: It is slow and lacking in any real life.

Former Australia batsman Dean Jones was one of those left unimpressed by the surface, tweeting:

Didn't think England could prepare a pitch anything slower than Cardiff .. But they have and it's even worse! #fairenough @HomeOfCricket

— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) July 16, 2015

That does not mean it will be easy for England when it comes their turn to bat on it.

They will undoubtedly feel the pressure of responding to a big Australian total and will know Root cannot continuously bail them out after bad starts.

Before then, though, the bowling attack has plenty more work to do. They cannot be faulted for their level of effort but must be wishing the coin had come down differently at the toss.

 

Warner wastes his chance

As Rogers and Smith piled on the runs for the tourists, David Warner must have been kicking himself on the balcony.

The opener made 38 in a hurry only to then perish before lunch, miscuing an attempt to hit Moeen Ali over the top. He was caught by James Anderson in the deep, giving England their one and only breakthrough for the day.

Warner now averages 27.22 in England, well below his career mark of 46.36.

Prior to the second Test, he had spoken about his difficulties adapting to English pitches. He told Sky Sports Radio (h/t Perth Now): “You don’t really feel in on these types of wickets at all.”

The left-hander had battled hard against the new ball yet then opted to play an ill-conceived shot at the spinner in his first over. That's not the way to be dismissed on the first morning of a Lord’s Test. 

Warner couldn’t blame anything, or anyone, but himself for getting out in such a fashion on a flat deck. Everything was in his favour, and he gave it away. 

There is a thin line between aggressive intent and carelessness, and he hacked his way through it.

All stats used in the article are from ESPN Cricinfo

Australia’s preparations for the Ashes concluded in the best way possible as they beat Essex by 169 runs in Chelmsford, the perfect way to warm up for the first Test against England.

The Baggy Green’s next assignment will be the first Test in Cardiff, and they have plenty of selection issues to consider ahead of that game.

One player who will not be available is Ryan Harris, who announced his retirement during the game as he succumbed finally to his injury problems.

With one of their most influential recent performers now definitely out, the onus was on the Australia bowlers to prove themselves capable ahead of the start of the Ashes.

They did so as they dismissed the hosts for just 200 in their second innings on the final day, having had a mixed time of it with the bat on the third day in addition.

With that in mind, let’s examine some takeaways from the last two days of the game, with a particular focus on the Australian tourists.

Michael Clarke scores some much-needed runs

Australian captain Michael Clarke has been in indifferent form in recent months, but on the third day against Essex, he looked to be approaching something like his best with the bat.

Clarke scored 77 and was the only visiting batsman to pass 50 in the second innings as the away side managed 221.

It was an innings made on a decent pitch that was starting to deteriorate and was definitely necessary for his side as few others managed to apply themselves properly.

The next-highest score for Australia was the 37 made by Mitchell Marsh, while Chris Rogers was the only other batsman to pass 30.

Clarke will be delighted to have contributed in such a big way for his team, especially with the Test series coming up very soon indeed.

Mitchell Starc shines in return to World Cup form

Left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc has sometimes struggled to recapture the form that made him such a potent bowler in the recent World Cup, but on the third and fourth day here, he did just that.

Starc had problems with his control early in the third day, but he settled into a groove as he finished with 6-51 in 20.2 overs.

It was an extraordinary turnaround, especially as he took four of his wickets in the space of 20 balls for just five runs.

In the second innings on Day 4, Starc was needed to contribute once again and did well to take 3-26 and help his side to the win.

He dismissed the dangerous trio of Jesse Ryder, Ravi Bopara and James Foster in doing so, showing he remains potent against the best batsmen on offer.

With Harris now unavailable, Starc showed himself to be a possible long-term successor to the retired fast bowler.

He will need to find some consistency, but his wickets here will definitely give him confidence.

Josh Hazlewood recovers to look the part for Australia

Initially, it was difficult for Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood on the fourth day, as Ryder creamed him for 26 runs in his first over.

However, Hazlewood managed to recover and ended with 4-42 from eight overs, with his last seven costing just 16 runs.

He also took the crucial wicket of Ryan ten Doeschate, whom he caught leg before wicket for 61, with the Dutchman looking able to make things difficult.

Hazlewood has done well in recent Tests for Australia, and his performance on the final day here will give him plenty of heart.

Australia recover well with ball on third day

Things looked tough at the start of the third day for Australia, as they arrived at the ground with Essex 299-3 overnight and looking capable of getting close to the visitors’ 562.

However, what followed was a strong effort from the Baggy Green bowlers, as they went on to restrict Essex to 414 all out on the third day.

It was inspired by Starc, and he was aided and abetted by Marsh, who chipped in the crucial wickets of Ryder and centurion Ravi Bopara.

Plenty to think about for Australia selectors

There is a great deal of depth in this Australia squad, especially in the batting department.

Shane Watson has probably done enough to keep his place over Marsh, although the pair of them not making a score in the second innings was troubling.

Adam Voges also had a difficult second innings as he made just one run before being dismissed lbw, while David Warner will be disappointed to make just four.

Next in line for the middle order is perhaps Shaun Marsh, who helped his case with 114 as an opener against Kent in the previous warm-up game.

Perhaps his case has been helped more by his team-mates failures, although the only way the will truly be revealed is on that first morning in Cardiff.

Conclusions

This was another strong win for Australia, who go into the first Test full of confidence having taken two straight victories.

The third and fourth days were certainly interesting, especially as the visitors did not have it all their own way against a spirited Essex side.

Their preparatory games have certainly been useful exercises, though, and will place them in good stead for the start of the Ashes.

It is often said that time heals all wounds. Alastair Cook and his England team are about to find out if 18 months is long enough to get over the scars left by Mitchell Johnson.

The left-arm paceman has had a love-hate relationship with the Ashes during his career.

In 2009, he was the leader of an attack that failed to hang on to the miniature urn. He took 20 wickets but at an average of 32.55.

The English crowds took great delight in mocking him for his inconsistency, with the Barmy Army even coming up with his very own song (the language used makes it unprintable here). 

The English media, meanwhile, took great delight in detailing the rather public falling out between Johnson's mother and Jessica Bratich, his fiancee at the time (they are now married).

Move on to 2010/11, and he was ineffective at any Australian ground besides Perth, where the pace and bounce of the WACA pitch allowed him to bowl with real menace.

Johnson wasn't involved in the 2013 tour that followed, though he made amends for missing out when England arrived in Australia during the winter.

In the 2013/14 series, he took 37 wickets. This YouTube clip shows them all (warning: not suitable for viewing if you are an Englishman):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDzG1Us8Yeo

Johnson is always fast and furious, but the key to his success in the last Ashes was his accuracy.

There was no respite, no issues with the radar, no chance for the Barmy Army to start singing about him spraying it both sides of the wicket.

Instead, he dismantled England, finishing up with a ridiculously low bowling average of 13.97.

The handlebar moustache, grown for Movember but kept for the entire series before being shaved off for charity, was amusing at first. But towards the end of the series, it was no longer a laughing matter—just a sign of impending doom for England.

The tourists were blown away to such an extent that there was something inevitable about their batting collapses and a horrible certainty of a 5-0 defeat once the Ashes were won by Australia in the third Test at Perth.

Johnson’s short ball was his main weapon, particularly against a lower order that was left horribly exposed. That was the plan of attack all along, as he told Sam Pilger of the Daily Mail:

I could see fear and nerves with their batsman, especially their tail-enders

Our plan was to bowl short, we made that clear to them, and no one likes to face short-pitched bowling 

You could see their batsmen scratching around at the crease, you could see different movements in them and you could just sense something different about their blokes. 

The plan was to go hard at them and it worked. The short stuff made a real impact. 

English pitches might not be as receptive as the surfaces in Australia, but that does not mean opposing batsmen will have an easier ride.

This summer, Michael Clarke will have a different bowling attack at his disposal—Ryan Harris' fitness issues are unlikely to see him play a part in the majority of the games, while Peter Siddle has slipped down the pecking order.

Johnson, however, remains. And he is still the X-factor, the one player opposing teams—particularly England—fear. 

Mitchell Starc is the left-arm bowler for the long-term future for Australia, but he’s not quite yet the main Mitchell in the team.

Per Dean Wilson of the Mirror, Johnson admits he didn't know quite what to expect on his first Ashes trip in 2009: "I was taken aback by it all. I did not expect all the attention and the media, then the crowds and everything else on top of that. I took it personally."

Now, though, he knows exactly what to expect. He will play up to the role of pantomime villain and relish the chance to silence the English spectators.

England's batsmen know what to expect, but that does not make it any easier to deal with Johnson, a bowler who shows no signs of slowing down as he enters the closing stages of his international career.

At 33, this could well be the Queenslander's last Ashes tour. He will want to go out with a bang and, more importantly, as a winner.

When Australia were bowled out for 562 on the second day of their tour match against Essex, it seemed it could lead to a case of deja vu.

The tourists had made 507 for eight declared in their opening fixture, against Kent at Canterbury, then showed their international pedigree by bowling their opponents out for 280.

Essex, however, were not willing to follow the same script.

A century from Tom Westley and an unbeaten 86 from stand-in captain Ravi Bopara helped the county side reach the close of play on 299 for three.

Australia will be pleased that their bowlers have received a good workout, though perhaps a little underwhelmed with their efforts against a Division II side.

With the dust now settled on the day’s play, here are a few key points to take from Thursday’s action.

Lyon Tamed

Nathan Lyon’s most notable contribution to Australia’s cause during the day came with the bat—he made 41 in a hurry as he and Peter Siddle put on 83 for the last wicket.

When it came to the job he’s actually picked to do, however, the spinner didn’t have quite as much fun.

Called into the attack after Australia skipper Michael Clarke had used all five of his seamers, Lyon was not allowed to settle by Essex’s top order:

Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon at Chelmsford: 5-0-54-0

— Scott Redler  (@RedDog7T3) July 2, 2015

Things did calm down as the day wore on, though the 27-year-old still finished with figures of 0 for 110 from his 19 overs.

Century for Nathan Lyon at Chelmsford, raise your bat son.....er.... #essvaus #ashes

— Innocent Bystander (@InnoBystander) July 2, 2015

https://twitter.com/PaulFrame85/status/616718163955183617

The slow bowler will be a key part of Australia’s XI, and he told Daniel Brettig of ESPN Cricinfo: "I'm confident in my skill to get the job done for Australia, especially because they've got several left-handers in the squad which I'm quite excited to be bowling at."

Lyon’s confidence should not have taken a hit simply because his first appearance on the trip didn’t go according to plan.

However, Essex may have given England an indication of the best way to deal with him.

Home Comforts

It has been a mixed season so far for Essex. Their form in four-day cricket has been patchy. In Twenty20 action they have at least picked up the pace of late, winning five of their last six after a dreadful start.

A game against Australia offers the chance for the county to fill their coffers, and, to that extent, it certainly helps when the sun shines.

The fixture also offers a chance for Essex’s players to make a mark against international opponents.

Daniel Bell-Drummond seized that chance in Kent’s second innings on Sunday, and Westley followed suit with a superb hundred for Essex against a strong Australia attack. 

And that's it! The moment Tom Westley brought up his 100 v the Aussies! #EssvAus https://t.co/F3LFlAVgS1

— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 2, 2015

He was particularly savage on Lyon, scoring 57 runs from the 37 deliveries he faced from the off-spinner.

His fun came to an end when he was bowled by Mitchell Starc, ending a second-wicket stand worth 213 with Bopara.

Still, as Westley told Chris Stocks of the Guardian, his performance had been enough to receive a congratulatory text from his county colleague Alastair Cook, who just so happens to be England’s captain.

  

All-Rounder Watch 

The race to fill the all-rounder berth in Australia’s XI for the opening Test at Cardiff gathered pace on day one with Mitchell Marsh slamming a century.

Shane Watson—who played in the recent series against the West Indies in the Caribbean—hit a half-century too, though his future in the side was more dependent on his performance with the ball.

Having not bowled at all against Kent, Watson needed to prove he was fit enough to be Australia’s fourth seam option. 

He sent down six wicketless overs against Essex on the second day, though he was economical enough during his limited action.

The same could not be said for Marsh, as his four overs went for 29 runs.

His batting form—he also hit a hundred against Kent—may have Marsh just in front right now, but both players can make a big push to impress the selectors in the second half of the game.

Australia's batsmen, well, nearly all of them, filled their boots on the opening day of their tour match against Essex at Chelmsford.

After being put in by the county side on the hottest day of the year so far, the tourists amassed 440 for six. 

Mitchell Marsh led the way with an unbeaten 136, while David Warner marked his first innings on the trip by hitting 94 from just 86 deliveries.

There were also half-centuries for Shane Watson (52) and wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, who made 78 before falling in the final over of the day.

So, what did we learn after Wednesday's action? Here are the takeaways as we look ahead to the Ashes.

Marsh states his case

As written about prior to the game, bowling appeared to be the key factor when considering who will be Australia's all-rounder for the first Test in Cardiff.

Watson and Marsh are the two players vying for one spot, and the game against Essex could be seen as a shootout for selection.

In the aftermath of Australia's convincing victory over Kent on Sunday, coach Darren Lehmann said, per Daniel Brettig of ESPN Cricinfo, that it’s “going to be tight” between the pair.

Both scored runs against Essex's decidedly medium-paced attack. But while Watson fell for 52, Marsh went on to reach three figures.

He reached his second successive hundred of the tour in style, per ABC Grandstand:

See that red dot? It is the ball Mitch Marsh lodged in the roof to bring up his ton at Chelmsford. #ESSvAUS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/t0L6q6yWRE

— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) July 1, 2015

The 23-year-old will be keen to impress with the ball, too, but he is making the selectors' decision as tough as possible with his batting form.

Watson, meanwhile, rather summed up his Test career with his innings. He reached his half-century with a flurry of boundaries yet, with a big score there for the taking, was bowled by Ryan ten Doeschate.

The veteran now needs to prove to Australia's management team that he's fit to bowl, having not sent down a single delivery in the previous fixture at Canterbury.

Captain sinks in the sun

Michael Clarke was the one Australian batsman who did not reach double figures. In fact, he didn't even last more than one delivery.

The touring side's skipper would have been keen to enjoy more time in the middle, even though he made 56 and 47 against Kent.

Instead, however, the right-hander was caught down the leg side off the bowling of Tom Moore.

WICKET WATCH! @tcm_33 takes 2 in 2 with Michael Clarke out 0 on his first ball, @rtendo27 the fielder - https://t.co/5EElpZalFx #WicketWatch

— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 1, 2015

It was a disappointing way to get out for Clarke, who was batting in the unfamiliar position of three in the order with Steven Smith not selected.

Considering it is a four-dayer against Essex, and taking into account the current weather in England, the batsman should get another opportunity to bat.

Yet some on Twitter couldn't resist having a bit of fun at Clarke's expense:

Michael Clarke gets a first baller. #helptheaged #dadsarmy

— Dan Whiting (@TheMiddleStump) July 1, 2015

When you hear Michael Clarke is out for a golden duck vs Essex... pic.twitter.com/kQRt9EeYBW

— bet365 (@bet365) July 1, 2015

Michael Clarke flops in #Ashes warm-up as Aussie captain is out first ball by @tcm_33 http://t.co/SczLnm365y pic.twitter.com/54Z5u4FNrk

— Mail Sport (@MailSport) July 1, 2015

Australia will just be happy to have Clarke fit to feature.

He missed the majority of the Test series against India last winter through injury, though returned in time to lead his country to glory in the Cricket World Cup on home soil.

Hopes of Harris surely over

Ryan Harris was due to play against Essex, offering him another chance at the start of the tour to press his claims for a Test recall.

However, a knee injury scuppered the best-laid plans for Australia, with Peter Siddle stepping in to take his place in the XI to face Essex.

As reported by Chris Stocks of the Guardian, a Cricket Australia spokesman revealed the bowler had complained of soreness after getting through 30 overs of work against Kent.

Harris has had issues with the same knee before, though he missed the recent tour to the West Indies so he could remain at home for the birth of his first child.

He was Australia's leading wicket-taker on their last Ashes tour, taking 24 wickets in four Tests at an average of 19.58 in 2013.

Now, though, it is impossible to see how the selectors can risk him at the start of the upcoming series—after the opener in Cardiff, England and Australia have a short turnaround before resuming battle at Lord's.

Mitchell Johnson, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc—the three pacemen who helped clinch a 2-0 series triumph in the Caribbean recently—seem certain starters in the first Test now.

Harris will have to rest up in the hope he can return to action in the tour match against Derbyshire, which takes place from July 23-25.